True Darkness
by llamabaka
Summary: Long before Wirt and Greg found themselves lost in the Unknown, two other brothers met a similar fate, struggling to find their way home, but it seems that all hope may be lost...
1. Promise

"I promise I'll get us home, ok? It'll be ok. I just... I-" Quincy's words caught in his throat, trying to keep his emotions in check. His brother's small body was before him, twisted oddly, his limbs entwined in edelwood branches. The leaves were even growing inside him.  
This was all his fault, Quincy realized. He had blamed Thomas but it was really he who'd gotten them lost in the Unknown. And he'd failed to get them back home. How long had it been? The brothers would probably be assumed to be dead by now. Quincy was a hopeless older brother. And Thomas had lost all faith in him. Adelaide had warned them this would happen.

_Adelaide_

Maybe... maybe there was a way to reverse this and save his brother. Maybe Adelaide could help.

"Ok, ok, I'm just going to get some help. Don't worry I promise I'll come back," Quincy gave his brother a feeble smile that he hoped would be reassuring.

"Just... don't be gone... too long.." Thomas managed to choke out the words. Tears formed at the corners of Quincy's eyes and he turned away. His brother wasn't going to see him cry.

"I'll just... leave the lantern here in case I don't make it back before nightfall, ok?"

Thomas's expression looked troubled, but Quincy didn't know what to do. Adelaide was his only hope now.


	2. The Lantern

The sun was setting, and a chill was in the air. A cold breeze danced through Thomas's short hair, but he barely felt it. He was numb. Physically and emotionally, and it was a relief. Night soon fell and and the darkness began to envelope him. Thomas smiled, and closed his eyes, reveling in it. Yes this was as it it should be. All light, all hope reduced to nothing. This is how all the world would be in the end. Reduced to pure nothingness. Anything that came before a mere unnecessary complication delaying the inevitable.

But when Thomas opened his eyes it was not to pure darkness as he had expected, no there was a light shining before him. He blinked, and his contorted body ached. _The lantern._ That's right.. _Quincy..._ his brother had left the lantern. He had left him there all alone, probably given up on him... Numbness.

_You know that isn't right!_, some nagging part of him cried out. _Quincy is your brother and he loves you! He wouldn't have left behind the lantern if he didn't!_ Thomas moaned, letting the pain wash over him once again._ That's right..._ he'd been in a daze before, but Quincy... he'd gone for help hadn't he. He'd promised to be back. Maybe... maybe things weren't so bad... if Quincy hadn't given up.

Thomas coughed as the edel branches slowly retreated from his throat. He fell forward, no longer supported by them.

_The lantern_

Thomas reached for it and clutched the handle. He was too weak to move, but if he could just hold onto a glimmer of hope until his brother returned...


	3. Fear

Quincy almost wished he had taken the lantern with him as darkness closed in. He hadn't thought Adelaide's house was so far away; was it possible that he was completely lost? Nothing made sense in this strange place- animals that spoke and wore clothes, people turning into trees... Could it all be real or had Quincy... lost his mind?

He shook the thoughts away. His brother was in danger and he had to do something. He turned to the tree beside him and made notch in the wood with a sharp rock he'd found. At least he had a trail to lead him back to where he had started, but he was beginning to think he'd never get out of this forest.

"Come on I've got to keep going. I've got to find Adelaide," Quincy muttered to himself.

"WHO?"

"Adelaide," Quincy answered absentmindedly. "Wait, w-who's there?"

"WHO?"

An owl swooped down from higher branches, alighting in front of the boy. Quincy relaxed. Of course, it had only been an owl. He felt foolish.

"WHO IS THIS BOY LOST IN THE WOODS? WHERE CAN HE BE GOING?" the owls booming voice echoed through the trees.

Quincy took a step back. "I-I'm Quincy. I'm looking for Adelaide's house. I thought she lived around here, but apparently I was wrong so I'll just leave and stop bothering you now." He wasn't quite sure what, but something about the owl bothered him deeply. It wasn't unusual for animals to talk in this crazy place, but there was something else...

"YOU'LL NEVER FIND HER. YOU'LL NEVER SAVE YOUR BROTHER."  
And with that the owl flew away ahead.


	4. Waking

The morning air was crisp and cool. The wind blew through the trees, loosing the last autumn leaves into the air. Thomas moaned as he awoke with hunger gnawing at his stomach. He managed to push himself up into a sitting position, limbs still aching, but free of edelwood. He rubbed his eyes and clutched his coat closer about him.

He was going to have to get up and walk. He didn't quite remember the last time he'd eaten or drank anything, and he'd rather not stay out in the cold. His eyes scanned the ground before landing on a somewhat pointed stick. _Perfect._ Thomas grabbed the stick and began scraping a message in the ground. It was harder then expected and he had to dig in a bit but he managed. "DON'T WORRY. WENT FOR FOOD. BE BACK. :)"

Thomas only hoped the message would hold to be true. He expected his brother to return here looking for him, but in truth he wasn't confident he himself would be able to find his way back here. He didn't have the best sense of direction.

Taking the lantern in one hand, Thomas managed to pull himself into a standing position with the help of a nearby tree. He put one foot in front of the other, stiffly at first, praying silently that walking in this direction would bring him to food.

* * *

AN: May take a while for the next chap for anyone following this little choppy poorly thought out thing. I do know where I'm going yet ehh maybe not entirely with Quincy's POV. And yeah I know these chapters are super short? What's even up with that? Seems like this thing's just wanting to be written in little chunks.


	5. Adelaide

It seemed a miracle when Quincy finally stumbled out of the woods to the view of a small two-story stone cottage. A tendril of smoke curled into the morning sky. He'd made it.

Quincy's limbs ached with fatigue and the cold, but he managed the short walk to the cottage's door and knocked timidly. He could hear movement inside and the door opened a crack.

"Oh it's you," said the young woman as she swung the door wide. Adelaide's curly brown hair was swept into a braid over her shoulder and she wore a simple grey dress. "I thought I told you not to return."

"Yes," Quincy thought back to their last encounter. Adelaide had allowed him and his brother to stay in the cottage for a short time, but she'd seemed very nervous, and insistent they not stay long. "but I'm afraid... it's Thomas..." Quincy's voice shook, and Adelaide drew in a short breath, realizing that Quincy's brother was not accompanying him.

"You'd better come inside," Adelaide conceded as she moved from the doorway. She led Quincy to a seat by the fire and brought him some tea.

"So... what happened?"

Quincy sighed. "Thomas, he... We were in the woods and.. The edelwood... Is there- I-Is there any hope?"

Adelaide nodded, biting her lip. "I think so. My- my mother was a witch. I think I have something that can help you, but-" she stiffened as a sound could suddenly be heard from the top of the stairs.

"Hide."

"Wha-"

"Hide now," Adelaide whisper-shouted through gritted teeth. She leapt up, briskly opening a smallish broom cupboard and shoving Quincy inside before he could argue.


End file.
